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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23872495">Breath of Life</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainamergirl/pseuds/captainamergirl'>captainamergirl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Diamonds [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Bold and the Beautiful</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Drabble, F/F, Ficlet, Hurt/Comfort, Stally - Freeform, They should be together</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:28:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,033</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23872495</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainamergirl/pseuds/captainamergirl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Steffy's learned the hard way that people always leave her. Sally wants to be the exception to the rule. {Established Stally}</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Steffy Forrester/Sally Spectra II</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Diamonds [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1714210</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>femslashficlets: tarot prompt challenge</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Breath of Life</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Prompt word: Death</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b> <span class="u">Breath of Life</span> </b><br/><br/>It’s the absence of warmth that awakens Sally. She’s become accustomed to the feel of her lover’s arms knotted about her waist; her bare feet pressed up against the curve of her ankles. Without Steffy beside her, she is frozen.<br/><br/><em>“Steffy?”</em> Sally calls out. “Where are you?”<br/><br/>Sally listens; hears a whispered <em>“shit!”</em> suddenly come from the living room. She immediately shoves back the covers and races down the hall.<br/><br/>Sally finds Steffy in the semi-darkness, cradling her arm to her side. Shards of glass litter the plush carpeting. “Steffy, are you alright?”<br/><br/>“I’ll be fine."<br/><br/>“What happened?”<br/><br/>“It’s not a big deal,” Steffy says. “I accidentally collided with the tree and broke an ornament. When I went to pick up the pieces, I sliced my hand.”<br/><br/>Sally reaches for her lover; uncurls Steffy’s fingers which are sticky with fresh blood. “It looks -”<br/><br/>“A lot worse than it is,” Steffy assures her.<br/><br/>“Maybe we should go to the hospital."<br/><br/>“And wake up Kelly at three in the morning? No, that’s not going to happen.” Steffy extracts her hand from Sally’s grasp and pads into the adjoining kitchen.<br/><br/>Sally watches with concern as Steffy cleans the cut in the sink. Her movements are slow and unusually clumsy. Sally can tell something is bothering Steffy, but she’s not sure what. Everything seemed fine when they went to bed earlier.<br/><br/>“What’s wrong, Steffy?” Sally moves over to the sink as Steffy's shoulders begin to heave.<br/><br/>Steffy doesn't reply. Sally gingerly takes her hand and finishes cleansing the cut. Steffy allows Sally to wrap her fingers in a dishtowel and push her down into a chair. “Keep pressure on it,” Sally says as she scurries over to the cabinet where the first aid kit is stashed.<br/><br/>She grabs the box from the cupboard and slips down beside Steffy. She starts to bandage the wound. “What’s wrong? <em>Really?”</em> Sally asks. “Please talk to me.”<br/><br/>“I had a dream,” Steffy says quietly, her voice a little shaky.<br/><br/>“A bad dream?”<br/><br/>“No. A good one, actually. Waking up was the hard part." Steffy explains, "I dreamt about my twin sister. Phoebe was right here with me and she was so beautiful and kind; radiating that light and goodness she was known so well for. For a moment, I felt at peace."<br/><br/>Steffy's eyes are stormy. "Next week is the anniversary of her death. It's been twelve years since I got to hug her, or share a secret or a laugh with her… Twelve years, and I’ve since lost my way more times than I care to count. I miss her a lot.”<br/><br/>“Of course you do. I'm just sorry I didn't realize all of this was coming up for you."<br/><br/>“You couldn't have. I rarely ever talk about Phoebe. I can’t because... If I really stopped to consider what her death means to me, I - I wouldn’t be able to stay upright. Everyone sees me as this strong, unflappable person who can survive anything, but inside... Sometimes I truly don’t feel that way.”<br/><br/>“You shouldn’t have to always have to be the strong one, Stef. You’re human. You’re entitled to grief and pain. If you need to rage at the world sometimes; well, I think you've earned that right."<br/><br/>“If I let in that pain; really let it in...Trust me, the dam would break. I would fall apart and I can't do that. Not when so many people depend on me.”<br/><br/>“And who do you get to depend on?”<br/><br/>“It doesn’t matter..."<br/><br/>“It does too. You have to let someone in. Let them love you… Let <em>me</em> love you.”<br/><br/>"You said love..."<br/><br/>"Because I do love you." Sally flushes as Steffy’s eyes go wide. “I know we’ve never come close to using that particular 'L word' before, and it’s probably the absolute worst time to say it, but I feel it; in every single fiber of my being. My heart is yours, Steffy."<br/><br/>"But for how long?"<br/><br/>"For <em>always.</em> I mean that."<br/><br/>“Maybe you do now... But everyone leaves, Sally. Eventually, they all leave.”<br/><br/>“Well, I won't. I know we belong together. I need you so much... and maybe you need me too.”<br/><br/>Steffy reaches out to touch Sally’s face with her unwounded hand. She slowly traces her index finger along the smooth, satiny skin of her lover’s face. “I do need you, Sally… and that's the hard part. Honestly I hate it; being that weak for someone.”<br/><br/>“It’s not weakness; not really. You only think that because you’ve being conditioned to believe when you care about someone, they will leave you. I know we’re both used to living with loss and loneliness, but Steffy, we can break that cycle of pain. We <em>have</em> to. I believe if you lean on me whenever you need me, and I lean on you whenever I need you, we can survive anything life throws at us.”<br/><br/>“Sally, you’re such an optimist. I lo-”<br/><br/>“Shhh. It's alright. You don’t have to say that word. Not now."<br/><br/>“Yes, I do. You were honest with me; so I’ll be honest with you... I’ve been in love with you since the first night we made love. I feel something for you I’ve honestly never felt for anyone else. It amazes me … You don’t judge me... You’ve seen every little scar and messed up part of me, and you haven't run away.”<br/><br/>“And I never will. I’m exactly where I want to be. I was drowning, and you were the one person who thought I was worth anything. You <em>saved</em> me, Steffy, and I’d like to try to return the favor. If somebody has to be strong tonight, let it be me. Let me be the shoulder you can cry on; the way you’ve been for me. Can you do that, Steffy? Can you try to trust me to stay?"<br/><br/>Steffy doesn’t answer. She slowly drops her head onto Sally’s shoulder. Her tears come in earnest. Her whole body shudders with sobs and Sally holds her all night the way she promised to -- stroking her hair, loving on her, offering her warmth and kindness.<br/><br/><em>Somehow, Sally breathes life back into Steffy’s world.</em><br/><br/>The end.</p>
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